The NBA Thread

[YuriDedman]

[ball hitting Wade in head.gif]

[Gilly]

Beasley was arrested before the season started for pot possession.

The "selfish thug" label is starting to be racist, but we're only 10 years removed from the league being just awful in terms of image, players getting arrested and then it all came to a crescendo with the Malice in the Palace. I don't think that any league ever saw as many fans stop watching the sport as the NBA did in the early '00s and most of those people never came back. Most of those people still have that league in their head when they think NBA, because not only was the image bad, the game being played was pretty awful too. Only diehard NBA fans stuck it out, but again we are 10 years removed from that era, it's beginning to get a little racist. The NFL basically gets a free pass with all of their arrests, and hockey players can start fights every night, baseball players can charge the mound and throw punches, but a punch thrown on an NBA court and everybody's screaming for season long bans. I don't think anybody realized at the time how much of a lasting effect the Malice in the Palace would have.

[nec13]

So...Miami and OKC...who ya got?

My prediction? Thunder in 6.

[buffcoat]

I thought of this immediately after the series was set - is this the first time that two North American professional major sports teams with singular mascots have played in a championship?

[senorcorazon]

This wikipedia entry is amazing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnie_(mascot)

[Greggulator]

I am SO excited for tonight.

The atmosphere in OKC must be insane today. I know that they stole the team from Seattle. I know they're ownership are a bunch of jerks. But for a small city like OKC with the most likable elite players in memory... it's going to be such an awesome atmosphere.

The Phillies big run the past few years has legitimately changed the city. It's become so much more alive and, no matter if you're at the hipster-type bars or at some lunkhead place (I frequent both), so much of the city's life revolves around baseball. That has to be quadrupled in a city with OKC which is so completely under the national radar with no other pro sports team for hundreds of miles.

[Andy]

I paid way too much to be at the game tonight. Hopefully I don't jinx them.

[Greggulator]

I paid way too much to be at the game tonight. Hopefully I don't jinx them.

Cash is temporary but memories are forever! Tonight's game is one of the all-time great "if I could be anywhere right now, it would be Oklahoma City, and I can't believe I just said that" moments.

[Andy]

yeah, my wife is pretty fired up and the tickets weren't THAT expensive.  The pessimist in me is afraid that Wade or Lebron goes off for 50 or something ridiculous.

[Greggulator]

yeah, my wife is pretty fired up and the tickets weren't THAT expensive.  The pessimist in me is afraid that Wade or Lebron goes off for 50 or something ridiculous.

Please give us a recap of your night! That was one of the best sports crowds ever. OKC was pretty amazing last night.

[Racan]

Not sure if anybody watched this, but Metta World Peace is in Vancouver and recently did the weather on a local TV station. It's pretty funny watching him mispronounce the names of British Columbia towns.

Metta World Peace - the Weathercaster on CTV BC

He also played in a charity soccer match in the Downtown Eastside and even stopped by Insite, which I think was very kind of him.

Definitely seems like a pretty awesome dude, although I feel pretty bad for Harden having to deal with that concussion. Hope he's good to destroy the Heat. Go Thunder!

[buffcoat]

To be fair, I have problems saying Viketoria and Vancowver as well.

[senorcorazon]

He also has trouble saying Lost Angusless

[fonpr]

He also has trouble saying Lost Angusless

"He walks again by night."

[Andy]

ugh